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Webster 1913 Edition

Merciful

Mer′ci-ful

,
Adj.
[
Mercy
+
-ful
.]
1.
Full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to pity and spare offenders; unwilling to punish. Opposite of
merciless
.
The Lord, the Lord God,
merciful
and gracious.
Ex. xxxiv. 6.
Be
merciful
, great duke, to men of mold.
Shakespeare
2.
Unwilling to give pain; compassionate.
A
merciful
man will be
merciful
to his beast.
Old Proverb.
Syn. – Compassionate; tender; humane; gracious; kind; mild; clement; benignant.
–
Mer′ci-ful-ly
,
adv.
–
Mer′ci-ful-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition

Merciful

MER'CIFUL

,
Adj.
[from mercy.] Having or exercising mercy; compassionate; tender; disposed to pity offenders and to forgive their offenses; unwilling to punish for injuries; applied appropriately to the Supreme being.
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth. Ex.34.
1.
Compassionate; tender; unwilling to give pain; not cruel. A merciful man will be merciful to his beast.

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